V Day
by fallen-songstress-lenne
Summary: Paine tends to get depressed on Valentine's Day. All done! Phew! Eventual Paralai :P
1. Chapter 1

V Day

The alarm would not stop ringing. No matter how much she tried to block out the noise with her pillow, no matter how many times she rolled over, no matter how many times she psychically wished it to just shut up, it kept ringing, each beat pounidng away inside her head.

If that thing kept ringing, she would have to take matters into her own hands. She'd give it another minute. Two minutes, tops.

Thirty more seconds passed, and her head was pounding so hard, she thought it might explode. 

She blindly waved her hand around underneath her bed; she felt the cold metal of her sword handle wedged between some boxes. She yanked it free, swung it up into the air, and then straight down, tip first, into the alarm clock. Probably right through her beside table too.

It stopped ringing, and Paine breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't even had to open her eyes this time - an achievement even for her. 

Hang on. Wasn't there a reason why she'd set the alarm in the first place?

She sat up. Running her fingers lazily through her hair, she slid out of bed and rummaged around in her bedside table for something to wear. The 'nightie' she was wearing was a gift from Rikku. Her apartment had low C/A as it was. Enough said. 

She pulled out a greyish shirt she'd found in the bottom drawer (the only one she hadn't sliced through and therefore the only one she could open) and put it on. It must have been one of the shirts she'd ended up with from the Crimson Squad. The guys weren't bothered about who had their stuff as long as it was one of them, and so Paine had found several items of the guys' that she wasn't too sure about throwing away. By the size of it, she would have guessed it was Nooj's, which was a bit of relief. She wasn't too comfy with wearing one of Gppal's shirts - and she was sure Rikku wouldn't be either.

She slid on her slippers and padded out of her bedroom. Admittedly, her new apartment was tiny - a bedroom, a bathroom and an open kitchen/living/dining area. But that worked for her. Less to clean that way. 

She wracked her brains as she brewed some coffee. There was definitely a reason why she'd set that alarm. Maybe today was a special occasion? She was too tired to try and figure out the date in her head. The calendar was on the wall near the Telesphere. Leaning out from behind the counter, Paine squinted, trying to read the date from the other side of the room. 

She read it. Then she read it again, a horrible sinking feeling making her breathing turn heavy. Her eyes couldn't leave the calendar.

It was Valentine's Day.


	2. Chapter 2

V Day Chapter 2

Author note: Sorry about not updating – it's busy what with SATs and everything. But here's chapter two, and thanks for all your comments! I appreciate it!

Paine had never gotten anything for Valentine's Day before. Anything proper, that was. The year before this was her year with the Gullwings. The whole lot of them had got her a card with a huge moogle on the front to try and cheer her out of one of her recent bad moods. It didn't work, surprisingly enough. She had put it, standing upright, on Brother's pillow that night to see his reaction – which had been hilarious, as the drawing of the moogle was frightening to look at anytime of the day, let alone first thing in the morning.

The time between the Gullwings and the Crimson Squad was spent on her own, so it was no surprise she hadn't gotten anything then.

All of her Crimson Squad team – lead by Gippal – had got her a card with a huge chocobo on the front to try and cheer her out of one of her recent bad moods. Again, it hadn't worked. She'd made the card into a viciously sharp paper aeroplane and shot it with stunning accuracy at Gippal's head.

Come to think of it, she was almost positive the two cards were made by the same company. The chocobo was quite freaky looking too.

Those were the only two cards Paine had ever got for Valentine's Day. She knew she was intimidating, but for 18 years, two cards was a total failure. It just went to prove that she was a reject in romance. No wonder she was always in a foul mood on Valentine's.

As she sat down at her table with her coffee, she remembered what she had set the alarm for.

It had been a week ago. Gippal never visited her. Not usually, unless he wanted money or part-time security or something. She'd been stunned when she heard what he wanted.

"A babysitter?!"

"Yeah!" he'd grinned like the idiot that he was. "I need you to keep Rikku out of the way on Valentine's Day so I can set everything up perfect!"

She'd pointed out to him that he never remembered anything. She'd asked why Valentine's Day was any different. And, if she remembered right, she had asked why he had come to ask for this particular favour at 3am on a Tuesday night (Wednesday morning.)

He had done that stupid grinning thing again, like he was so proud of himself, and announced proudly that he'd remembered "so I didn't want to forget again, did I? Rushed over, whilst it was still in my head!"

Paine was too tired to think about when exactly he must have set off and how long he had been travelling just to ask for this particular favour. Gippal was also giving her a headache with his silly 

'asking for a favour' grin (she'd realised why his face had been stuck like that), so she told him she'd take care of it, just to get him off her doorstep. Although now, it didn't seem like it had been such a smart plan.

She was debating whether to contact him on the commsphere and act ill or whether to tough it out with Rikku when the post fell onto the mat by the door. (Like Paine would really have a welcome mat).

She scooped it up and flicked through it. Bill, bill, junk mail, sponsors, junk mail, bill –

There was a white envelope in the pile. No address, no stamp. Just 'Paine', written with one of those calligraphy brushes.

She left the the other letters on the table. She could pay bills later. This was a lot more important.

She yanked open a drawer, pulled out a kitchen knife and sliced open the envelope.

It was a simple white card with a red heart shape stuck onto the bottom corner. She opened it up. Then she closed it, and nearly ripped it apart.

What the hell was the point in sending a Valentine's card if you didn't even sign it?


	3. Chapter 3

V Day Chapter 3

Author note: Sorry about not updating again – but no one gives me reviews, so I don't know if anyone wants to read this! I'll update anyway – just because it's fun for me to write! Sorry this chapter's so short – but it's just the way it ended up. Enjoy!

Paine was fuming. After all this time waiting for a proper Valentine's card, and she got this.

Deciding not to throw it out or destroy it after all, she threw it on the windowsill, and shoved some bread into the toaster. She was just going to forget about it. After all, it was probably just a prank, or one of her creepy stalkers. Yevon knew she had enough of them – enough to wonder why she didn't get more than one card.

The one who sent this was probably a lot braver than the rest.

Although, now she thought about it, there had been no address on the card. It had to have been posted by hand.

But it came with her other mail. It had to have been slipped in with her other mail...

...or sent by her three-time divorced post-_woman_.

She shuddered at the thought. It couldn't be her. At least, she hoped not.

The toast popped out, and she began buttering it, still deep in thought.

The mail service in Bevelle was run by New Yevon. Baralai could have sent it – but he was way too busy to go to the hassle of personally asking her 'postwoman' to deliver it straight to her home. No way could it be him.

She sat down with her breakfast, just about to start eating, when the doorbell rang. Her eyes shot towards the clock. Rikku wasn't due until 10, which meant she'd be here around 11. There wasn't a way in hell she would be on time, let alone as early as 9:30. So who would be at her apartment this early?

Paine was sick of all the questions in her head. She ripped open the door, ready to take out her bad mood on whoever was behind it.

Two swirly green eyes stared back at her, but the voice she heard _definitely _wasn't Rikku's.

"Why the hell are you wearing my shirt?"

Oh yes. She was going to kill Gippal.


	4. Chapter 4

V Day Ch. 4

Hi! Thanks to everyone for reading! Sorry, but I was still waiting for a review before I updated, so thanks to xflightofthephoenix for giving me some sort of motivation to type this up. It was just sat around, waiting...

Anyway, here's Chapter 4. It's longer than the others - I fancied a change. Enjoy!

Paine yanked Gippal into the apartement and slammed the door shut.

"Why are you here?" she demanded. But her question fell on deaf ears. Gippal was still in teasing mode.

"Did you take it after the Crimson Squad? Couldn't get enough of me, huh?"

Her hands were curled into fists, but he didn't notice.

"Are you even wearing anything under that? C'mon Paine, you'll give people the wrong idea!"

She threw the nearest thing she could grab, with her typical stunning accuracy, at Gippal's forehead. It was a plant pot. Unfortunately not a large one - small enough to sit neatly on the tiny shelf near her front door - but it still shut him up long enough for Paine to ask why the hell he had turned up in the first place.

"Just checking you were still going to babysit Rikku for me," he said, recovering pretty quickly for a guy with a massive pot-shaped bruise on his forehead.

"Yes," Paine replied shortly, and opened the door. Now leave."

Gippal, however, had other ideas - wandering over to the kitchen and getting himself a cup of coffee.

"You owe me," he informed her. "After all, you could have killed me with that plant pot."

Paine was busy coming up with several other ways to kill Gippal, but she didn't mention them. She could need them in the future, and an unwary target makes for easy prey. He looked pretty unaware at that minute, drinking his coffee.

For some reason, this morning Paine was feeling a little...

"Sadistic?" Gippal asked.

She glared at him. She didn't need to know the rest of his sentence to feel insulted.

Gippal collapsed onto her chair, and began eating her breakfast. HER breakfast.

"Y'know," he said, face full of toast, "I think you could do with a lift in this place. Definitely."

She said nothing, eyes fixed onto her breakfast as he took yet another bite, and began rifling thorugh her mail. HER mail.

"Paine, you need to pay these bills. Fast. Bills can creep up on you, and the before you know it, you got a debt worth more than my faction. Interest bills up to your eyeballs. Trust me."

He began to open a particularly daunting-looking red bill.

"Owch! How much for rent? This place is expensive, considering it has no lift-"

Paine ripped the letters out of his hand - and he let out a painfully girly shriek.

"Oww ow ow ow ow! Paper cut!" he roared. Paine ignored him, and put the bills on her kitchen counter, out of the way.

Gippal was about to get up and rummage through through the cupboards for a plaster (or band-aid) when the doorbell went again. Gippal cursed loudly, and shot under the table. Valentine's day wouldn't start off well if his girlfriend found him in Paine's apartment. With her wearing his shirt, no less. He shuddered at the thought form his crouched position under the dining table.

"Y'know," Paine called from the kitchen area in a Gippal-ly sort of way, "There's no tablecloth on that table. Anyone can see you."

Gippal cursed again, and began running in the direction of Paine's room.

"Don't even think about it, Gippal," she said, in a voice that made him skulk back to his spot under the table.

The doorbell rang. Again. Paine ripped open the door. Again.

"Why are you wearing Gippal's shirt?" asked Nooj.

Paine nearly ripped his head off - but Gippal grabbed him out of the way just in time.

"She's in a really bad mood this morning, so be careful," he hissed. "It's probably PMS."

Paine hadn't got her sword handy, so she resorted to smacking Gippal hard about the head.

She ignored his complaints about her 'abusing house guests' and demanded to know what Nooj was doing in her apartment, but the mevyn was a little preoccupied. He was staring at the windowsill.

At her Valentine's card.


	5. Chapter 5

V Day Ch. 5

Wow, chapter 5...never thought I would get here. I always assumed I would have lost interest by now, but I suppose that's not a very good writer's complex... Anyway, on with the story!

Paine quickly steeped in front of Nooj's view, hands on her hips. Heart racing in the hopes he wouldn't announce the existence of the card in front of Gippal (and with that, putting her stranight on the stand for some first-class public ridicule and teasing), she asked him, again, what he was doing there. Nooj snapped back to reality, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, right," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. Something he did rarely, Paine noticed.

"I'm marrying LeBlanc," he stated shortly, supposedly very uninterested in their opinions on the matter. Paine, with her quick observing skills, knew otherwise. Gippal, on the other hand, choked on Paine's breakfast. Paine slapped him around the head, partly to stop him choking, and partly because it was _her_ breakfast he was choking on. Nooj began to walk towards the windowsill, intent on finding out what was in the card, and Paine was too busy trying to prise away her toast from the red-faced Al Bhed to try to stop him.

Then the doorbell went. Again. And Paine thought her head might explode. Gippal eating her food, Nooj just about to read her Valentine's Card, and her doorbell being worked so hard it would soon be applying for retirement was enough to make her scream, very loudly, and rip open the door.

She was met with a huge bunch of roses.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" smiled Baralai, slightly red-faced, clutching the flowers and a bunch of chocolates.

Now, in addition to having a splitting headache, Paine thought she _might_ just throw up.

"Wow, 'Lai!" screeched Gippal, apparently fully recovered from his choking fit. "Who would have thought you were hot for Paine!"

"And now we've blow their secret relationship," added Nooj, obviously slightly amused by the whole scenario.

Baralai blushed slightly.

"That's not it," he said, shaking his head. "It's Valentine's Day, and I thought that Paine probably wouldn't get anything, so-"

Baralai was cut off by Paine, who swiftly punched him in the face, snatched up the chocolates, and slammed the door, breathing heavily.

"Ooh, burn!" snickered Gippal, stealing 1st place on Paine's Most Hated list. "So even Baralai thinks you have no chance of a date! Ha!"

Gippal was about to meet the same fate as Baralai, when Nooj piped up.

"You're all wrong. Paine got a Valentine's Card," he said, waving said card up in front of Gippal, who pounced on it like a hungry cat.

"You must be _jokin_g! Paine?!"

Paine's skills were shown off yet again, as she grabbed the card off Gippal, slapped him hard around the back of his head, threw the card and the chocolates onto the table, and kicked both Nooj and Gippal onto her doorway with Baralai and the rest of the garbage, all in one movement.

"Now, listen up," she said, seething. "Baralai, bin those flowers. NOW. And don;t even try to talk to me again after that. Gippal, get the hell out of the building before Rikku comes and just be grateful I'm still babysitting for you after you ate my breakfast. And yes, there will be a fee. I'm charging you 2500 Gil an hour, no discussions. And Nooj, go somewhere else to celebrate your engagement to that..._whore_."

And with that, she slammed the door.


	6. Chapter 6

V Day Ch. 6

After looking over this story, I realised how short the chapters are. And how weird it all looks centred. Oh well. I guess now it's like a trademark... :P

"...so yeah. Now we're engaged." Nooj said. No matter how hard Paine chewed on her toast, she still couldn't drown out their talking.

They were sat outside her door, on her doorstep from the sound of it.

"Dude. Seriously?! Wow. That's...wow."

"Congratulations. So...who's the Best Man?"

"Ah...I could always have two."

"Sweet."

"That is definitely something to toast to. A wedding."

"Oh you bet. Paine! PAINE! Can we get some champagne out here? We are technically on your doorstep, and your guests, so treat us well!"

Paine gave Gippal his champagne. She opened up the letterbox and poured it through.

"Congrats," she sneered, "Now leave."

"Yup," Baralai agreed. "Definitely PMS."

"Or maybe you all like pushing my buttons too much," she muttered, closing the letterbox and returning to her food.

"JEEZ!" Gippal yelled, after his temporary silence. "I am SOAKING wet!"

"Then go home and change, before Rikku gets here and kicks your butt harder than I will."

"Like she could! And anyway, anyway, shouldn't you change out of MY shirt?"

"Yeah, Paine. Why are you wearing it, anyway?"

She screamed.

"BECAUSE I HAD NOTHING ELSE TO WEAR!!"

"A likely story. Something you're not telling us, Paine? A little crush on Gippal, perhaps?" Nooj sniggered.

"I'd rather die," Paine stated, her coldness reaching the men on the doorstep, who got the impression Paine wasn't enjoying the tease-fest as much as they were.

"Well, then," Nooj coughed, "I should probably get home."

"Me too," Baralai said, and him and his soggy friend lifted themselves up to give Nooj a hand. Getting off floors wasn't the easiest thing to do with a mechanical leg.

"Hey, Paine, We're going!" Gippal yelled.

"Good!" she replied.

"Hey! I want my shirt back!"

Paine was feeling quite vengeful, so she replied, instead of hitting him like she would normally do.

"What, now?"

Gippal, who had obviously been expecting to get hit also, seemed a little surprised.

"Yeah, actually."

She took it off, and posted it through the letterbox.

"Now, go away."

They didn't know what to say, so they did. They left.


	7. Chapter 7

V Day Ch 7

Wow...All I can say is thanks, everyone, for the reviews! It makes me happy to see people actually read my work. Now if I could get as many reviews on my Deviantart, I'll die happy. Maybe it's because my drawings suck...XD Anyway, there's been enough delay, so on with chapter 7!

Paine came out of her room (clad in normal gear in fears the guys would have broken back into the room to continue teasing her) in a surprisingly chilled out mood compared to the screaming wreck of a few hours ago. She had taken a long bath to relax, and it had helped. The guys were probably right about PMS – and the best thing for that was something sweet, like cinnamon. On toast. She would stuff her face, relax, and maybe apologize to the guys. She wouldn't really charge him 2500 Gil an hour. That was kind of harsh. She wandered over to the kitchen area, and rummaged around in the bread bin.

Gippal had eaten the last of her bread.

After leaving several nasty messages on his answerphone, Paine polished off the chocolates Baralai had bought her. She didn't want to eat them – the _nerve_ of that guy, suggesting she couldn't get a date – but she was stressed out and hungry.

She checked the clock. Somehow, it had reached eleven without her even noticing. Rikku would be here soon. Maybe.

The horror that would await her when Rikku came had hardly even registered. She hadn't seen her much since the defeat of Vegnagun. She would probably insist on boring her with incredibly detailed details about her and Gippal – things she _really_ wouldn't want to know. She'd insist on having girly make-overs and going out someplace, trying to get Paine a date. She might even – Yevon forbid – suggest a "nice guy" she knew from "work" (Paine didn't believe Rikku hanging around at the Machine Faction distracting Gippal and breaking things was actually work) and try to plan a date, because "No-one should be alone on Valentine's Day!"

Paine had given up on dating – for now. Maybe when she was old and broody she'd rope in some half-wit and have a nice little group of Paine Juniors, but in the meantime, she was perfectly fine with life on her own.

She just wished Rikku would understand that.

Speaking of that devil, the doorbell went. Paine threw the trash left over from the chocolates in the trash can, and opened the door. Somehow, it seemed a little loose at the hinges. Probably all the slamming.

"Hey Hey Hey! Sorry I'm late!" Rikku smiled sunnily. Way too sunnily for Paine. "I had to get some things for today! It's rare for you to ask me over, so I have all the girly gear!"

Girly. A word that sent shivers down Paine's spine. A word that horrified her even more than "Vegnagun" or "Sin" or "Romance" or even "Nooj, Gippal and Baralai are about to come in and eat your food, tease you and announce raunchy, last minute weddings." Not that that was a word.

Rikku opened up her plastic bag, and shoved it in Paine's face.

Make Up Kit. Pink Clothes. Hair Gel. Face Masks. A Book called "How To Win Dates And Influence Men".

It was like Hell in a bag.


	8. Chapter 8

V Day Ch 8

I know, right, since when have I updated so fast? But it's the holidays, and I'm stuck with some loose ends when it comes to killing time, so here we have it! This is to make up for taking almost a month (maybe longer) to update before. And then only writing about half a page.

Paine had been wrong about the bag.

Sure. The contents were more frightening to her than if Rikku had dragged in a Behemoth, but it hadn't been Hell in a bag.

There was no way you could fit this kind of torture into such a small bag.

After practically being tied down to the sofa, Paine's face had been smeared with some weird green stuff that smelt funny. Rikku had said something about avocado, so Paine had been smearing it off with 'tato chips and stuffing it into her mouth whenever her Al Bhed "buddy" had her back turned. Rikku would then turn back around and smear some more stuff on, so Paine had a steady supply. As kind as that was, she wasn't being as forgiving on her feet. Poor Paine had been subject to some sort of torture that Rikku passed off as a foot manicure.

Yeah. Probably. Jamming rubber between her toes and filing them down to the skin was definitely going to help her when they went out on the town later.

Wait, what?

"It'll be groovy!! I have to get back before seven though, because Gippal has something planned! I thought he forgot! I'm so lucky to have such a caring boyfriend! Hey, hey, did I tell you about that time when-"

"Hey. Did you say we were going OUT??"

"Yeah! A great new club opened up downtown! 'Lai told me. It's supposed to be awesome!"

Sitting up and removing her eyepatches, Paine excused the fact that Yu Yevon had more street cred than Baralai and that by club he probably meant Old People's Pottery Club rather than a nightclub to politely point out to her friend that she would have to gag and forcibly DRAG her there – there was no chance of her coming willingly.

"Unless you can come up with a decent incentive," Paine finished up, placing the cucumber back on her left eye. She had eaten the other one.

"Paineeey! You're no fun!! C'mon, pleeeease??"

"That's not a very good incentive."

"Hmmm...Oh! I got it!"

"What? Formula for time travel so I can go back to yesterday and lock myself in a cupboard until tomorrow?"

"Huh? No, silly! An incense-ive!"

Paine sighed. "Spit it out, then."

"I'll hook you up with Baralai!"

Paine choked on her 'tato chip.

"'Scuse me?!"

"Aww, C'mon Paine! Y'know you love him really!"

"I'd rather die," Paine said quite finally. Too bad Rikku didn't know when to quit – like most Al Bhed Paine knew.

"But you two would make such a cute couple! Y'know, since you two are the only ones in the group still available and all."

"Shut it, Rikku. I'm quite happy on my own, thanks."

Rikku began to pout, and stated to file even harder on Paine's toes.

Paine ripped the file from Rikku's hands with a harsh stare.

"Why'd ya ask me to come if you're just gonna be a meanie?" Rikku started squealing.

Paine frowned slightly and she munched on the other cucumber.

"I hadn't seen you for a while, so I thought we should hang out," she said flatly.

"Then let's hang out!"

And suddenly, Paine found herself at the club with a drink that was highly toxic, in a dress that cost more than three rent's pay - and was not coming out of _her_ paycheck, Rikku - stood next to a guy droning on about inflation or something equally boring, and all the time thinking up brand new ways to murder her two best Al Bhed buddies.


	9. Chapter 9

V Day Ch 9

Sorry, sorry, after years of stalling, I finally got around to writing again – but I just started school again, so I have an excuse XD! Plus now I know where I'm going with this, so hopefully I can wrap it up soon 

So, how long exactly was she meant to stand there? Was politeness really necessary in a cheap club like this one? She would be the last person to know, having never been to a proper club in…ever.

One thing was for sure though – if this was the "hip new club" in Bevelle, then what the heck were the others like?

Paine was getting sick to death of this guy going on and on about whatever it was he was talking to her about. She stomped over to where Rikku was dancing quite inappropriately in the middle of the dingy dancefloor. Screw manners.

"I'm leaving. You're coming too." Paine said firmly, grabbing hold of Rikku's arm.

Unfortunately it seemed that the Al Bhed had polished off several toxic drinks, and so, instead of leaving quietly, decided to drag Paine onto the dancefloor with her.

"C'mon Painey! Show us your moves!" Rikku giggled, nearly falling flat on her face as she tottered about on her heels. Paine was standing, arms folded, as the idiot DJ put a spotlight on her and echoed Rikku's ridiculous request.

A few quick pressure points poked, and Rikku was down for the count. Paine swung her over her shoulder, and exited the club quickly, before anyone could demand she try the move on them.

She quickly scanned the streets for a cab, or maybe Gippal, running rampant because they weren't at the apartement like she'd promised. Unfortunately, there were no cabs available (Of course there wouldn't be any free on Valentine's Day) and no Gippal either (he wasn't due at the apartment until 7, so 8:30, Al Bhed time.

She wasn't willing to wait for three and a half more hours for Gippal to pick Rikku up, especially when she was in this state, ie: Drunk and Disorderly. And unconscious.

Hmm.

Anyway, as a single, solitary car drove slowly past, Paine contemplated the possibilities.

There were none. Rikku had managed to get her into some deep, deep crap, and now she was stuck on the Bevelle roadside with said Rikku draped over her shoulder in a dress that was probably the reason why that car was driving so slow, on _Valentine's _Day.

She didn't know why she didn't just drop Rikku and take a long walk off a short pier.

Especially now, as the car had decided to stop altogether. She was debating whether or not to make a run for it (she didn't feel like being hit on by some creepy old bloke) when a not so creepy young bloke decided to exit the car.

A not so creepy old bloke with a familiar face.

"Paine? What are you doing here? And why's Rikku passed out on your shoulder?"

Normally, considering past circumstances, Paine would have used Rikku as a weapon to batter Baralai, but seeing as he wasn't running away _and _had a car, she wasn't going to risk it.

She flung Rikku into the car, ignoring Baralai's wince as she landed roughly on the car seat. Paine gave the directions to her apartment to the driver, then slammed the door roughly, leaving the car to drive off.

And leaving her and Baralai on the pavement.


	10. Chapter 10

V Day Ch 10

Yup, here we go again, me apologizing for never updating… sorry. Again.

Paine didn't realise quite what she'd done until the car turned the corner and she noticed that it really was just her and Baralai. On the pavement.

Technically, now should have been the time for her to hit him, with or without a Rikku battering ram. But instead, she apologized, surprising both of them.

"Why?" Baralai asked. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"I just threw a drunk unconscious Rikku into the back of your very expensive limo."

"Ah, true." He paused, then smiled apologetically. "Consider us even then. For this morning."

Paine nearly smiled herself, but stopped herself just in time. After all, there was still a slim chance that Rikku wouldn't puke in 'Lai's limo. She shouldn't forgive and forget so easily.

Of course, when she said as much, Baralai's look of horror returned.

"I'm not planning to pour champagne on your head or anything," she said, and he calmed a little, "But, I think you at least owe me something."

"I hardly did anything! Get Gippal to repay you!"

"He's paying me by the hour, and I don't even have to be anywhere near Rikku."

"Well, Nooj then!"

"He's engaged. I can't drag him around Bevelle without people getting suspicious."

"Well – hey wait, you're gonna drag me around Bevelle as my punishment??"

"Sure. Since you're offering."

"Well, you may not know this, but I'm pretty street wise when it comes to Bevelle. I suggested that club to Rikku – seemed like her scene."

"Baralai?"

"Yeah?"

"Think about what you just said."

And with that, she dragged him down the road. Her favourite restaurant was around here somewhere….

Baralai had been wrong. No street wise man ever ordered Chocobo at a restaurant. Ever. Enough said.

"It's a delicacy, Lady Paine."

"For old people and hobos, sure. For us ordinary folk, not so much."

"Like a hobo could afford this. And what ordinary folk? Look around, Paine!"

Of course, everyone in the restaurant was sneaking looks at them, but Baralai obviously had a different explanation as to why than Paine did.

They all thought they were on a date. Definitely. Two old friends in a restaurant on Valentine's Day – it was the only explanation you could come to.

Oddly enough, this didn't bother Paine too much.

Wait, what?

"….and so, Chocobo meat is ultimately the best meat around-"

"How come you agreed to this, 'Lai?"

"Huh?"

"I've just dragged you here and made you buy me dinner. You could have said no."

"Well…that is….I mean…."

"You really need to learn to stick up for yourself, 'Lai."

And, surprising both of them again, she smiled.

Her feet were starting to kill. Stupid heels.

It didn't help that 'Lai had dragged her into another one of his 'hip new bars', but the fact he had dragged her to the other side of Bevelle to get there was taking its toll. Now, halfway back to her apartment, she didn't see the point in straining her feet anymore – no matter how much fun she was having.

Yes. She admitted it. Paine was having fun.

"Hey, 'Lai. I'm gonna head home now. My feet kill."

"Really? Cus I know a great cinema just down the street – "

"Your car's probably still at my place. You can come with me and pick it up."

Lai seemed a little disappointed, and Paine felt guilty.

"…Or, you could call your driver and get him to take us to the cinema…"

He brightened up immediately.

"That sounds like a fine idea," he grinned, getting out his phone.

Somehow, Paine felt as though this night could go on for a long time.

And somehow, she didn't really care.


	11. Chapter 11

V Day Ch 10

Finally! It took forever for me to wrap this story up – but I think I may have done it! Weird how it turned into a Paralai fic, huh?

Somehow, most of the movies showing at ten in the evening on Valentine's Day were soppy pathetic romance chick flicks. Who knew?

Apparently not Baralai. Fool.

"So," he said, back from the snack counter with a bag full of popcorn, "Chosen anything yet?"

Paine sighed, and pointed at the list of showings.

"…Ah."

"Exactly."

They stood for a minute, contemplating what to do next.

"….There's lots of food and stuff back at my place…" Paine murmured, and Baralai immediately perked up.

"Cool. And now we have popcorn too," he grinned, and thus Paine's 'revenge' continued.

Paine was relieved that Rikku was gone – she was a little worried the driver would have assumed she was a dead body for the trash. Or that he'd propped her up against the wall, asleep, for Gippal to find.

She asked, and apparently he'd left on the floor outside the door, propped up against the wall. Nice.

Paine unlocked the door to her apartment, feeling a bit weird. None of her friends had been invited back to her place before, except Tuna, when they first moved. Inviting yourself did not count in her book. The fact they had stopped off at the store and stacked up on alcohol was also rather daunting.

Hmm. Paine was a little worried. She'd never seen Baralai drunk. This could be bad.

At least she was sure in the fact she'd kick him out if he got too drunk, praetor or no praetor.

She opened the door, flicked on the lights, and froze.

"Ooh! Paine! A secret tryst, eh? Glad I didn't miss it!"

Of all the times Paine had said she would kill Gippal, she couldn't help but wonder why the hell he was still hanging about. In her apartment. At her dining table.

Drinking _her_ wine!

"What are you doing here, Gippal?" Baralai asked, sounding slightly more annoyed than Paine would have thought.

"Well, I had a wonderfully romantic night planned out – a bit like you guys," Gippal grinned. No one else did, so he continued, "Then I get here, Paine's gone, and my girlfriend is passed out face first in the back of a limo, with the driver singing loudly to crap music. It was rather scary, to be honest."

And Gippal took a large swig out of the wine bottle.

"Where is she then?" Paine decided to ask, then regretted it.

"I dumped her on your bed. Let's hope she hasn't puked on it, shall we?"

"You better hope," Paine growled, before making her way over to her room to assess the damage.

Baralai seemed pretty annoyed himself, but settled for collapsing at the dining table and glaring menacingly at Gippal, who snorted in response.

"Don't look at me like that, 'Lai, you're too pathetic to try to kill me for ruining your Valentine's Day."

"You think? Try me, Gippal."

He decided not to, and instead ransacked the bag full of booze.

"Ooh, classy stuff."

"You have no shame, Gippal."

He grinned. "That's why you love me!"

Baralai couldn't help but smile. "I'll try to remember that."

Paine, on the other hand, didn't, when she realised Rikku had puked on the floor (What kind of a boyfriend leaves his girl strung width-ways across a bed with her head hanging off?), and instead clobbered Gippal with a chair – and later, used her ninja skills to rob his wallet and wipe it clean of any traces of cash.

Much, Much later than Paine would have liked, after Rikku had woken up and her and Gippal had decided to have a party in Paine's apartment, both getting spectacularly drunk, Baralai decided it was time to take everyone home. Paine couldn't help but feel it was partly thanks to her constant glaring at anyone brave enough to look her in the eye.

"Hey, Paine?" Baralai asked on his way out. Gippal and Rikku had already tumbled down the stairs giggling like freaks, so Paine decided to let him speak.

"Erm… yeah, so sorry about tonight. I kept hanging about and stuff…"

Paine smiled. Again. What sort of crazy voodoo power did Baralai have over her?

"It's fine," she said, "But we never did get to watch a movie…"

Now it was his turn to smile. "Well, I'm free next weekend…"

Weird how things work out, huh? Paine was glad her and Baralai had sort of kinda but not really become date type buddies – thing - , but was NOT very happy about this kind of arrangement. The last thing she needed in the mornings was Gippal grinning like a Cheshire cat, enquiring why, today, she had decided to wear Baralai's shirt.

He wasn't grinning so much when Nooj came to collect for Gippal's best man tuxedo and his wallet had been wiped clean through.

Revenge is sweet.


End file.
